Chrome Tiger
by IchiakiI
Summary: Demyx, the happy-go-lucky boy in the group, shines his smile at everyone. But what they don't know, is that this smile is fake, and is being used to cover up everything at home. No one knows about this except for his best friend... and someone else?
1. Chapter 1

**A poem I wrote! Decided to write a fanfic on it.**

You try to hide what means the most,

A secret self inside a host.

Keep everything bottle up inside,

There is only one thing to hide.

But then, someone breaks through the darkness,

And tries to unlock the heartless.

Secrets that were kept for years; locked behind a door,

Spill out and fall to the floor.

Truths that were meant for one,

Were elicited to a special someone.

**xXx**

**Here are the names to keep in mind! Hope you like it!**

_Zexion Noviello_

_Demyx Lampron_

_Axel Fineman_

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><p>"Demyx, where the fuck are you!"<p>

The sound of footsteps came closer and closer as Demyx quickly ran to the corner of his room— right behind his bed—and crouched down. He covered his ears, shut his eyes, and quieted his heavy breathing, hoping that his father wouldn't find him. This was a regular occurrence in the Lampron household.

Demyx's father, Luxord Lampron, was known for his outrageous temper. Back when he was a sheriff, the police department wouldn't let him become an official police officer because he failed the temperament exam. A few years into his job, an unarmed man taunted Luxord. He unfortunately lost control and shot the man. Although the man left with only minor injuries, Luxord was forced into early retirement. Ever since then, Luxord had been living off of pension and doing pretty much anything he wanted to do. He usually went to the liquor store down on the corner of Vongola Street and Marmon Road and bought several bottles of straight Vodka. He would then go home and wait until Demyx came home from high school, just as he had today.

Every time, Demyx would slowly open the door. A sliver of light would shine in and Demyx would look through the crack to see if there were any signs of life. Most of the time, Luxord would already be well past drunk and slumbering on the couch, snoring his ass off. But, today was different.

Demyx opened the door and did his usual check. When he heard the snores, he knew it was safe to go inside. He silently walked through the living room—stopping only for a second to find out his father's whereabouts— and then continued on to his room. Just as he was about to walk down the apartment hallway, he heard the snores stop. Demyx froze and stood there. He heard the creak of the couch followed by a dazed yet gruff voice.

"Demyx?"

Demyx did the only thing he knew how to do. Run away. He ran into his bedroom and hid in a corner. Hearing the footsteps approaching, Demyx already predicted what was going to happen next. He heard the door slam open—locks long since removed—and he herd the man get closer and closer to his hiding spot until he stopped, right beside the bed. Demyx held his breath and waited nervously.

Before Demyx knew what happened, he was being grabbed roughly by the hand and pulled away from his corner. He hit the hard floor wood with a loud smack and waited for the barrage of words and pain.

"Where the fuck have you been, huh? Thought you finally had the courage to run away? Looks like I was severely mistaken. You were probably over at the firecrotchs' house, am I right? That kid should know his place. Maybe I should teach it to him next time I see him," Luxord said as he slowly bent down closer to Demyx's face. The smell of Vodka, rotting teeth, and unbrushed breath reached Demyx's nose, causing him to gag. Demyx couldn't help the fury that rose in him when Luxord threatened his best friend Axel.

Axel had been the only one to ever see Demyx for who he really was. Not some troublesome son that was worth nothing more than a pile of shit. Axel had reached out to him and took care of him whenever it got too rough. Demyx would usually spend the night over at the Finemans' house when it would get to bad with his father.

"Don't you dare touch him!" Demyx yelled with all his might as he felt a burst of courage surge through his body. He skillfully ripped his hand out of the half-drunk man's grasp and made a run for the door. He reached for the knob and gave it a hard yank. The door flew open with unexpected ease and Demyx fled into the hallway. Just as Demyx was about to cross the living room, he felt a bone crushing blow to his head. He fell in an almost slow motion and landed on the hard breech wood. He lay there, dazed for a moment, till he saw Luxord loom towards him.

"Where do you think your going, huh?" Luxord asked as he grabbed the front of Demyx's shirt and lifted him up to meet his own dark blue eyes. His hair was a buzz cut of light blond hair sticking out in all directions. Demyx opened his mouth to answer but was promptly slapped across the face. "Thought you could get away with talking back to your own father? Maybe at that boy's house but I'll be damned if you try to pull that shit again in this house!"

Luxord then threw Demyx on the ground and proceeded to kick his stomach. Demyx tried to curl into a ball to try and evade the barrage of feet but soon lost the energy. Demyx heard the familiar crack and knew that he had broken one of his now severely bruised ribs. Demyx felt some blood begin to trickle from the side of his mouth. He quickly licked it away before Luxord saw. After a couple minutes, the kicks stopped and Luxord took out a cigarette.

"Get your ass off the ground. A couple friends are coming over to play poker in a bit. I don't want them seeing a pathetic piece of trash like you on my floor," Luxord then promptly walked away and into the kitchen as if nothing had happened.

Demyx lay there for a bit and thought of his actions. That had been a pretty stupid move, but he couldn't take the chance. If Axel had gotten hurt because of him, he would probably kill himself to follow suit. Demyx slowly brought his knees under him, he winced at the pain the coursed through him but knew that if he didn't get up and out of the house now, Luxord would be back and even angrier. He slowly stood up and leaned against the wall. Taking short breaths, being careful not to breathe too deeply and risk puncturing anything, he slowly walked to the door. After a couple minutes, he finally got outside and was stopped by the obstacle known as stairs.

Luxord and Demyx lived in a low scale apartment on the second story. Axel's family lived only five minutes away, but Demyx knew it would take at least an hour to get there since he had to stop and breathe after every step. Demyx slowly started his long trek to his sanctuary. He took a slight breath as leg after leg; he forced his beat up body down the stairs. When he got to the bottom, he knew he shouldn't rejoice just yet. He slowly walked down the sidewalk and headed down the street.

His body started to argue against him as he began to get tired when he was only halfway there. His whole body ached when he saw a bus stop bench up ahead. As he got closer and closer he saw that there was someone else sitting on the seat. When the person finally became clear enough for Demyx to see, he saw that the person was familiar.

Zexion Noviello.

Demyx had had a couple classes with him over the years. He was known for always having his nose in a book, while Demyx was always known for goofing around with Axel and their friends. The two were two totally different personalities; therefore, they had never talked unless forced to, such as asking for a pencil or handing over a worksheet. Demyx wanted to bypass the bus stop at all cost— not wanting to get caught— but his body was already starting to fail on him.

He slowly limped over to the seat and shined his perfect smile. The smile that he spent day after day to perfect. He put his whole soul into the purely faux smile. It was just the right amount of lifted cheek bone, along with the seamless amount of teeth. It could mask any pain Demyx was dealing with and had the ability to fool anyone and everyone, except for Axel.

Axel was the only one who knew of Demyx's inner turmoil and could see through the fake act in a second. But, that just meant that Demyx had to get to Axel's house as soon as possible. Even if it meant resting for a few minutes.

"Mind if I sit here?" Demyx smiled and pointed to the free seat. Zexion looked up from his book and slightly inclined his head then went back to his novel. Demyx silently sighed in relief and slowly sat down. He moved as slow as possible, hoping the other boy wouldn't notice.

Zexion was a quiet one. Demyx never saw him with any friends. He was always by himself. He had slate colored hair that ran over only one eye but slowly ended at the end of his chin. His clothes were all the clothes you would see a quiet person wear. Just a simple hoodie and jeans. Nothing more, nothing less. That's what Zexion wore at this time, too.

When Demyx finally sat on the seat, he found the only position that didn't hurt him was leaning forward and slouching his back. He put his elbows on his knees and lay his head in his hands.

One more minute, one more minute, that's all he needed. Just one more minute and then he would be able to get up. Demyx kept on thinking this till he finally got up the courage to stand and head towards Axel's house once again. As he leaned forward to stand, one of his hands touched his ribs. Demyx inwardly gasped—sucking in unneeded air and silently cursing to himself hoping that Zexion hadn't noticed.

He slowly turned his cerulean blue eyes and met Zexion's darker blue orbs. His eyes held nothing but a blank look as Demyx quickly smiled and swung a hand behind his head to rub it in faux embarrassment.

"Haha, sorry about that! I was playing catch with my brother and missed. The ball nailed me right in the stomach!" Demyx skillfully lied as his still fake smile played across his lips. Zexion continued to stare as Demyx continued to stand up. When he finally stood up in a semi-straight position, he decided to wave goodbye to the silent boy. He slowly turned to wave but was surprised to see Zexion stand up and take a step towards him. Demyx took a surprised step back and winced at the unready pain.

"You don't have a brother," Zexion stated his eye still holding its contact. Demyx could only stare. His eyes mesmerized by the shorter ones. His eye contained just the perfect amount of blue to create a special color. How could he have seen through my perfect disguise using this eye? Demyx quickly broke eye contact and thought of another lie.

"Did I say brother? I meant Axel! He and I were—"

Demyx stopped talking when the city bus pulled up to the obvious bus stop. The doors opened and Zexion gave them a side ways glance before reaching down into his school bag. He took out a half empty water bottle and handed it to Demyx.

"Your face looks absolutely lurid," Zexion said as he walked towards the bus. "Drink the water before you get anymore dehydrated."

Demyx stood there staring at the bus as it drove off with the mysterious boy on board. How had he found out? Demyx was awakened from his thoughts when he felt his chest start to throb. He unscrewed the cap and downed the water. He contemplated whether he should throw it away or not. Demyx decided against it. After all, Zexion had been the first person to see through his disguise and not push him away since Axel.

When Demyx finally saw Axel's house come into view, he hurried up his pace. He stumbled up the steps and rapped his knuckles against the door. By now, the sun was already setting and Demyx hoped Axel's parents weren't home.

"Hello? Oh my God!"

A girl with maroon colored hair opened the door. Her eyes suddenly filled with worry as she told Demyx to stay put as swiftly ran into the house. Demyx heard some yelling and footsteps run for the door. Axel came into view, his bright red hair bringing out the emerald in his eyes. His teardrop tattoos on his cheeks stood out from the light of the foyer. Axel was still in his school clothes as he softly grabbed Demyx's shoulders and started looking him over.

"Demyx, what did he do? Do you need help? Wow, that was a stupid question. You wouldn't be here if you didn't! Shit man, you're a mess!" Axel said as he cautiously helped Demyx into the bathroom.

Axel told the girl with the maroon hair, Kairi, to go get some bandages and he left to go get some other items. Demyx stumbled over to the mirror to get a look at himself for the first time today. Demyx almost cursed at his stupidity for the second time today. His shirt was drooping over one shoulder and specks of blood covered the purple and black stripes on his shirt. His pants were somewhat normal, but Demyx realized his shoes had been haphazardly thrown on and looked about ready to fall off with the next step. He fixed his shoe using his feet and decided to finally look at his face. His eyes were a bit swollen and there were bits of dry blood and tears here and there. No wonder his lie had little to no effect on the slate haired boy. But, did that mean that the boy only pitied him? Demyx didn't have time to think any further as Kairi and Axel came into the bathroom bearing bandages, tape and scissors.

Demyx began to take off his shirt but immediately winced at the movement. He could barely lift his arms higher than his navel. Axel watched this and grabbed the scissors Kairi was holding. He cut through the cloth with ease and took off the unneeded shirt. Kairi gasped.

Kairi was Axel's little sister. She had always known about Demyx's issues but, usually, Axel kept her away. Axel's mother would usually help Demyx but she would also lecture him—telling him to tell the cops before she did. Demyx hated this. His father was the only person in his family he had left besides his uncle Zack and uncle Cloud. But, his father hated gays, so he would never let them within a hundred feet of the apartment. He would always threaten to call the cops on them; the two had no choice but to leave. Demyx knew that they wanted to take him away from his father but he knew he couldn't go with them. He was afraid. If the Feds did find out about Luxord, what would they do? They would probably send Demyx off to someplace, away from Axel. That was Demyx's biggest fear. To be separated from his one best friend.

"Dem, why did he hit you today?" Axel asked as he sat Demyx down on the side of the bathtub and proceeded to check him over and apply bandages where needed.

"Kick," Demyx corrected as he winced at a tender spot. Axel apologized and Demyx continued, "he-he threatened to teach you a lesson."

Axel looked up at the boy curiously and started to chuckle, "Dem, you know I can take care of myself. You don't need to be beaten to a shit on my account. Now, hold still," Axel said. Demyx softly smiled. He knew that getting beaten up for Axel was definitely worth it.

"Dammit,"Axel cursed as he turned to Kairi who stood in the doorway watching the two friends. "Call dad."

Demyx's eyes shot towards Axel's. They would never bother Axel's dad unless he had a broken bone or was in danger. Usually, Axel had gotten pretty good at makeshift splints and bandaging up bruises. Axel would read EMT medical books to study knew ways to help ease his friend's pain.

"Here," Kairi said as she handed him the phone. Axel grabbed it and put it on speakerphone so the three of them could hear. Kairi went and sat on the toilet while Axel went back to kneeling in front of Demyx. After a few rings, someone finally picked up.

"This better be important, I have a meeting with Mr. Noviello in a couple minutes."

"I believe he has two cracked ribs and it looks like one is very close to puncturing his lung," Axel said, practically ignoring his father's rant. The phone went silent for a bit as Axel's dad thought about the situation.

"Are there any signs of internal bleeding?"

"Yes, in the upper abdomen."

"Does it look severe?"

"Would I be calling you if it wasn't?" Axel said with a hint of sarcasm.

"…Is Kairi with you?"

"Yeah, cheerleading was canceled."

"…Alright, take my truck. Remember, if a cop pulls you over, tell them the medical excuse. If that doesn't work—"

"—tell them I'm Rude's son. I know dad. We will see you in a bit," Axel said as he hung up the phone and threw it to Kairi.

"You heard the man, go get ready. And get Dem a jacket while you're at it."

Axel looked back at Demyx and saw the worry that filled his eyes. He carefully leaned forward and hugged him.

"Don't worry. You're gonna be just fine. You can sit in the back with Roxas."

"Roxas?" Demyx questioned as Axel helped him stand up and walk to the foyer. Kairi came over and handed Demyx the coat, them proceeded to put her shoes on. Demyx was going to question why she gave him a jacket and not a shirt, when he remembered he couldn't put on a shirt.

"Yeah, he was originally supposed to come over so we can go see a movie but then you showed up," Axel explained as he also got on his jacket and shoes, letting Demyx lean against the wall for a minute before leaning him on his shoulder once more. He opened the door and revealed a very surprised Roxas—who had just been about to knock on the door. From where Roxas stood, the door was only open wide enough for him to see Axel's tall and lanky form.

"Hey there, Roxy. We're about to go on a little trip. Wanna come?" Axel asked. Roxas and Axel had been dating for around six months now, so Roxas was used to Axel's antics. But that wasn't the case today.

"Axel, are you trying to get out of going to the movies again?" Roxas asked as he put his hands on his hips. Axel pretended to think for a second before remembering something and answering.

"Nope! Now hold this." Axel said as he swung the door open the rest of the way and let Demyx stumble over to Roxas and lean against him. Roxas could only stare at the hurt Demyx before sighing and fixing his hold on the embarrassed dirty blond.

"S-sorry about that! I wasn't expecting Axel to leave and I didn't know you guys had a date tonight," Demyx said as he shined his fake smile to the surprised Roxas.

"Demyx, you're not intruding or anything. You are higher priority than I," Roxas stated, his expression going blank. Demyx's eyes widened when he realized Roxas was jealous of him.

"T-that's not true! I'm just a burden! Besides, he loves you. I'm just the troublesome friend while you are the loving boyfriend," Demyx said as he looked down at the ground with a sweet smile. It was his own jealousy that had been talking for him now. Oh, how Demyx wished he could find a boyfriend like Axel had. He envied love in general. Roxas could only stare at Demyx, feeling bad that he had made his boyfriend's best friend think about such things when he was obviously hurt.

"Alright! I'm back! Did you two kitties have any fun while I was gone?" Axel asked as he ushered Kairi out of the house and spun the keys around on his finger to find the right one for the house. He snagged the key and locked the door, then turned and swooped Demyx off of Roxas and onto him. The four all crowded into the old truck and Axel sat in the driver's seat. That's when Roxas knew something was up.

"Axel, why are you driving? And why are we in the truck? You only have your permit. You're not allowed to drive with any—"

"Yeah, yeah, I know, Roxy. Did you really take a good look at Dem when I let him lean on you? Where do you think we're going?" Axel asked as he looked at Roxas in the rear view mirror and backed up the car. Roxas felt a bit bad about the comment but knew he deserved it. Demyx could only sit and watch the couple's agony drag on as they drove towards the hospital.

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><p><strong>I wrote this story for everyone who knows what its like to have to go through the day and fake the way you feel. A faux smile plastered to your face and the scrutiny of others weighing down on you. But, I wrote this to prove that there is nothing you can hide from only 2 people in your life. Your best friend(s) and your lover, whether it's a boy or a girl, they will be the ones to truly understand you and who will stay by your side, no matter what. <strong>

**Diclaimer:** I do not own Kingdom Hearts or the fake last names that I came up with( they were created using a name generater)!

Sorry about any mistakes that me and beta DreamingDaxern missed! I actually beta'd this once before but I left that copy at school! And it just so happens that today was my last day of it! oh the irony... Anyway! I hope you all like this story!

Saying the impossible but since the next chapter is already written, **10 reviews= Next chapter!**

**Love, Chi-chan**


	2. Chapter 2

**Alright, so let's throw the ten reviews idea out the window XP**

**Disclaimer: **I do not anything belonging to square enix! I am a mere nobody trying to get a job as a manga editor!

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><p>"Hello, is Dr. Fineman available?" Kairi asked as she batted her eyes at the young hospital employee. The man was caught in Kairi's manipulative grasp as he picked up the phone and called Dr. Fineman's office. He hung up the phone saying he would be down in a minute and asked if they needed any drinks or food. Kairi waved her hand and denied the kind gesture as she went back to the seats in the waiting room and sat next to Demyx.<p>

"What'd they say?" Axel asked.

"He'll be down in a bit. Apparently his meeting with Dr. Noviello was longer than he expected."

Axel nodded and went back to apologizing to Roxas about his behavior in the car. Roxas accepted and the two made up with a kiss. Demyx watched and sighed; no one would ever love his horrible body. That's why he always kept up this perfect façade. If anyone ever knew his true self, they would surely ignore him. When Demyx goes back to school, Zexion will ignore him, just like he always has. That bit of kindness he showed was just a fluke. But, why had he kept the water bottle? Demyx looked down into his hands to see that he was indeed still holding the empty drink. Axel looked over and noticed the boy looking at it.

"Hey. Why are you holding that thing? You haven't let go of it since you came to the house," Axel asked as he started to reach for it. "Do you need me to throw it out for you?"

Demyx quickly flinched away and grasped the water bottle close to his chest and shook his head back and forth. Realizing what he had done only after he had done it; Demyx looked back at Axel's confused face and sighed.

"I- I don't want to throw it away," Demyx said as he once again looked at the little water droplets left inside the clear container.

"Why?" Axel asked, knowing he would get an answer.

Demyx would never lie to Axel and Axel would never lie to Demyx. That was their pact ever since they first met, years ago. If Demyx wanted to know something, he would ask Axel and Axel would answer with nothing but the truth. It was the same the other way around. When Axel found out he had feelings for Roxas, Demyx was the only one who knew. Anything that happened to Demyx, Axel would know. That's how it was between the true friends.

"I got it from s-someone," Demyx stuttered. He felt his cheeks heat up. Why was he holding onto the bottle so dearly? No one besides Axel had ever shown this kindness.

"Who?" Axel inquired. Why was Demyx hesitating in telling him? Why was he blushing?

"Z-Zexion Noviello," Demyx said in an almost whisper.

"Zexion!" Axel practically yelled, startling other patients around them who quickly shushed the red haired loud mouth who quickly apologized and lowered his voice. "Zexion?"

"What about my son?" a man said. Demyx and Axel both jumped at the appearance of a large man with the same color hair as Zexion's standing in front of them.

"N-nothing," Axel lied as he put a hand behind his head in embarrassment.

"Well, obviously it's something if you said his name," the man said as his eyes narrowed on the two boys.

"He gave me his water bottle 'cause I wasn't feeling good," Demyx said as he adopted Axel's gesture and shined his faux smile.

"Stop lying. Why were you talking about Zexion?" the man said stiffly as he crossed his arms and stood his ground. Axel and Demyx shared a bewildered look as Demyx went to speak first.

"We aren't lying! It's true! I wasn't feeling good and then Zexion just gave me his water and told me not to get dehydrated!" Demyx argued. He watched as the man's eyes grew big.

"That's… impossible. So he does have emotions," the man hummed, mostly to himself, before looking up at the group of four. "Can I help you in anyway?"

Axel finally took the time to speak up, "Uh, yeah, I'm here to see my father, Dr. Fineman. You must obviously be Dr. Noviello. It's nice to meet you." Axel got up and shook the man's hand.

"Oh, you're Reno's son? I should've known when I saw your red hair. Come," the man said as he turned on his heels and walked towards the elevator.

Axel helped Demyx stand and followed Dr. Noviello. The two knew the drill. Since Demyx obviously doesn't have any sort of insurance, they had to do things behind the scenes. Axel's dad would set up an exam room just for them and keep it a secret. They didn't do it often for various reasons that Axel's dad could go to jail for. They only did it when things got bad. Like now.

"His office is right over there," Dr. Noviello said as he pointed in the direction of the room and started to walk in the opposite direction. Axel thanked him and watched as Demyx leaned against the wall to take a breath without causing any suspicion. Demyx suddenly turned and asked the man to wait. The man stopped and waited for the question.

"How did you know I wasn't lying about Zexion?" Demyx asked. Yes, he hadn't told the whole truth about the situation, but when the man questioned his own son, Demyx became curious. The man chuckled a bit before he answered.

"I was surprised to hear you use such a big word like dehydrated. I knew then that you must have had a run in with my son."

The man then continued to walk away, leaving a stunned Demyx. Demyx squeaked when he felt an arm slowly snake around his waist and grab him. Demyx heard Axel's hearty laugh and accepted the support from his friend. The foursome got to the room and Kairi knocked on the door that said 'Dr. Reno Fineman PHD'. The room opened and revealed a very tall man with long, bright red hair and emerald green eyes—pretty much and identical, older version of Axel. He wore a lab coat and his hair was tied back in a professional manner. Kairi ran and hugged the man. Reno moved himself and his daughter over so the two were out of Axel and Demyx's way. After Roxas had made his way inside, he closed the door behind them.

"Lock the door," Reno's voice rang throughout the silent room. Roxas did as he was told and then leaned against the wall next to Kairi. Inside the office, there was a chair behind a desk and single chair in front. The desk was littered with paper and among the rubbage was the form of what looked to be a laptop. The phone was off the hook and on its side—an occasional beep coming from its core. Reno had pulled the chair out and sat Demyx on it. The other chair was used to put a bag full of medical tools on. Reno dug through the bag and brought out a stethoscope. He motioned for Axel to join the other two. Axel nodded and walked over to Roxas and laid his arm around the shorter teen and pulling him closer.

The two watched as Reno listened to Demyx's heartbeat and counted the time. When he was satisfied with that, he then proceeded to find the area of the break. He moved the two chairs around and had Demyx lay his feet on the other chair, so he was now lying perfectly horizontal. Reno took off Demyx's jacket and began to search the boy. His hands probed and prodded around the boy's chest till Demyx winced at a certain spot. Reno turned and wrote it down a clipboard next to his leg. This continued till Reno was done checking. He stood up and told Demyx to sit up. Demyx did as he was told as Reno dug through his bag and pulled out gauze and medical tape and began to bandage the boy's body.

"You have two fractured ribs. You also have some internal bleeding but it has already begun to clot. Your wounds are not as bad as I thought they would be, but it's still a good thing that Axel brought you." Reno finished bandaging the boy and helped him put his jacket back on. "You're bandages need to be changed at least once a day. Axel can help you dress it at school. Speaking of school, you should probably get some more of Kairi's makeup for your face, too. Now, I have an urgent operation waiting for me. Axel, you know the way to the exit. Oh, and Demyx?" Reno gently pulled the dirty blond boy into a hug. "You really should tell someone about this," Reno whispered in his ear before letting him go and helping him get steady in Axel's arms. "Good luck, boys!"

Then group watched as Reno opened the door and passed a wave to everyone before disappearing around the corner. The silence in the group was disrupted by Demyx's slight cough.

"Thanks, Ax," Demyx said.

"No problem, Dem. Now, let's get you home. And by home, I mean my house."

The group slowly headed to the car. Kairi and Roxas helped get Demyx in the car and put his seatbelt on. The ride home was equally silent till they were all inside the house and sitting in the living room.

"So, what now?" Roxas asked. "Why was Demyx so beaten up?"

Demyx froze up before answering with a faux smile unknown to everyone but Axel. "Um, well, my dad… he gets mad sometimes. And I'm really clumsy so I fell down the stairs."

Axel sighed at the inevitable lie that came from Demyx's lips. The beating had been happening since Demyx lost his mother a couple years ago. Ever since the first bruise, Demyx has had to lie his way through these years. He soon became a habitual liar and it takes a lot for him to take out the truth and set it on the table for everyone to see.

"Dem, you don't have to tell him if you don't want to…" Axel began, earning himself a displeased look from his boyfriend.

"Axel, I'm your freaking boyfriend, for Christ's sake! I don't want any secrets! I'm sorry if I'm sounding demanding Demyx, but I am just so confused right now. Why is this one huge secret and I'm not allowed to know?" Roxas yelled.

Demyx and Axel shared a look and Roxas watched, his eyes widening a bit, as Demyx's light smile turned into his real frown and he nodded his head in a silent agreement with the red head. Kairi stood from where she sat next to Roxas and headed upstairs to her room. Axel turned to his boyfriend and took a deep breath.

"Rox, Demyx's dad abuses him. Hits, kicks, punches, knives, anything you could think of, he has taken to Demyx. You see, when Demyx was ten years old, his mother died. Ever since then, his dad has been taking his anger out on his son." Axel took another breath and looked into Roxas' eyes, a total seriousness on his face that made Roxas wonder what he is going to say next. "The Demyx you know is not the real Demyx."

"W-what?" Roxas cracked a smile, mistaking it for a joke. "How could Demyx not be Demyx? He's hyper, bouncy, always… smiling…" Roxas soon realized what he meant and his smile fell to a concerned frown. He turned to the dirty blond and asked, "Is this true?"

"I-I have to lie. I can't let people know the truth! They will think of me as gross and disgusting! Did you see the scars that littered my body? Do you know the pain I have gone through!" Demyx attempted to stand, but was too weak and merely sat on the couch, his eyes burning with a flame of intense hatred for himself.

"Demyx, you're not gross or disgusting. Just because your dad does that to you doesn't mean you are messed up. Demyx, why don't you tell anyone?"

When Roxas asked the question, Demyx blew. He stood up, not caring how much anger he was in, he wanted them all to know. He wanted the questions to stop, the lying to end, the hiding to cease. He wished someone in the world would care about him and see him for who he really was.

"Do you want to know why I don't tell anyone? I don't tell anyone because then I would have to live with someone else! Most likely, my uncles who live 27 hours away!" Demyx yelled. Axel was already at his side and attempting to push him down while Roxas stared at the flaming blue eyes. He had never heard nor seen him get so angry before.

Roxas began to feel himself get angry. How could Demyx be so selfish? Just because he would have to move away, doesn't mean that the world is going to end. Yeah, he would have to go to a new school, but he could make new friends and not be beaten every night by his dad.

"Why!" Roxas yelled back. Axel's emerald eyes sent a glare toward the speaker before turning back to the angry Demyx.

"Why! Because then I won't have Axel! I can't imagine my life without him! If he were to suddenly leave my side, I-I don't know what I would do Roxas! I love him just as much as you do, but you got to him first," Demyx whispered the last line and everyone watched the dirty blond fall to his knees as soft sobs racked his body.

Axel stared at Demyx, his face was void of all emotion. The new information still ringing in his ears and his boyfriend's wide eyed stare burning on the back of his neck. Axel silently excused himself and took Roxas by the hand. The two stopped at the foot of the stairs and saw that Kairi had tears of her own falling down her face. Kairi had known Demyx just as long as Axel had. Axel nodded toward the crying blond and Kairi ran to the fallen boy while Axel and Roxas went outside to talk.

"Shh," Kairi hushed Demyx as she held him in her arms. For one thing, she knew that the boy never cried and what he just said must have taken a lot out of him. Second, she knew that after the beating he had today, he was going to be exhausted. When Demyx's sobs began to recede, she looked down into his face and saw that his eyes were beginning to close.

"Come on. Let's get you upstairs and into bed."

Kairi helped the injured boy up and let him lean on her shoulder. While the blue eyed boy drifted on and off during their walk, Kairi saw Axel and Roxas outside, kissing.**[1]** She smiled and was glad nothing happened to their relationship with this, but when she looked down at Demyx's battered form, she felt herself frown and tears well up in her eyes. 

By the time she laid him down on the bed, he was practically out. Kairi went to walk out of the room when a hand lightly grasped her shirt. She looked back and saw Demyx's eyes were filled with worry and regret.

"I-Is Roxas, okay? How about Axel? Are they still…" Demyx left the last line to be filled. He deeply regretted his outburst and could not believe that he had told his deepest secret. And in front of the one he had loved, no less!

"No, they are just fine. I saw them making up outside on our way up here. Demyx, how come you never told him that you liked him?" Kairi asked as she set her hand on the boy's head and began to pet his hair.

"I was worried that it would ruin our relationship. But, I don't know what came over me to say that out loud. And in front of his own boyfriend, no less. See, I told you. I'm dirty and disgusting. I'm no better than my own father."

The slap rang out across the room and the silence that followed afterward was even louder. Kairi's face was stern and her eyes looked onto Demyx's. Anger and pity reigned over her orbs and a tear slowly trickled down Demyx's blue eye before it was swiftly wiped off by the girl.

"Demyx. You are_ nothing_ like your father. Your father is a heartless bastard who could care less about anyone around him. As for you, even though you put up a great façade, at least half of the fake you, is real. You're caring, kind, thoughtful, wondrous, and not to mention, gay!"

Demyx let out a real smile for the first time in a while. His lips moved had on their own and his tears now cascaded down his face. Kairi hugged the boy till his now happy tears receded and he wiped the remains away. For once, someone other than Axel had told him how much was true. Maybe, he should reveal his true self to everyone else? Demyx immediately froze up in Kairi's arms. She backed up a bit and looked into his face.

"Demyx? Are you okay?" her voice laced with concern.

"No. I can't tell everyone. They will all hate me. Just like father always says. I'm worthless; no one could ever love me. Kairi, your eyes are filled with pity," Demyx's cold gaze shot straight into Kairi's own confused face. "Get out. GET OUT!" Demyx screeched as he gripped at his ears and tried to stop the voices.

_Worthless piece of shit._

_You're nothing but a waste of space. _

_Pathetic piece of trash._

His father's words played over and over in his minds. Demyx curled into a ball and leaned against the bed's frame. He shut his eyes tight and attempted to will away the tempters. They played over and over, how could Kairi have said something like that? Pity was the one of the reasons why Demyx didn't tell anyone his secrets.

"Demy? Demy, look at me. It's Aerith, Axel's mother. I want you to will them away. They don't control you. They are just a figment of your imagination. No one here is going to pity you, no one is going to hurt you, and no one is going to do anything. I promise."

At the last line, Demyx opened his eyes and stared into Aerith's own. Her age showed slightly as she smiled her pearly white teeth and the wrinkles became evident. Her hands grasped his own and his tears immediately subsided.

"Are you okay now, Demy?" Aerith asked with a smile. Demyx put on his faux one and nodded his head.

"Yup, all better."

"Don't pull that fake smile stuff with me, young man. I need a real smile, or else I'm not leaving," Aerith frowned and easily saw through Demyx's act. After all, she had known Demyx as long as Axel had. She had even created the nickname, Demy, the Axel used ever so often. She leaned back and crossed her arms. Her eyes were blazing with a motherly power and Demyx felt himself begin to shake. There was no way that he could hide from such an intimidating woman.

"Y-yes ma'am," he said as he lifted the corner of his lips and smiled at his second mother. He leaned in to hug her, but found that he was restrained by his injuries. He hissed in pain and glared at his ribs, hoping he could barbeque them.

"Oh, dear. Looks like you're going to need a good night's rest in order to get those bones back to perfect health," Aerith leaned down and kissed the boy's head as she helped him get under the covers. Every bone in Demyx's body seemed to ache in pain but he could endure it, he had been through a lot worse.

"Thanks, Aerith."

"No problem. By the way, Axel says that he will talk to you in the morning," Aerith said. Demyx gave her a confused look as she continued, "I'm not letting him in the room till I deem you well enough to see him. He's standing outside of the door, just to let you know. Roxas also went home, and he said to tell you that he is sorry for what he said and…" Aerith drifted off in thought.

"And to get better!" Axel voice yelled from the other side of the door.

Demyx opened his mouth to argue but was promptly shut up when a hand covered his mouth. Aerith shook her head and kissed his once morning.

"In the morning. Now go to sleep or I will have to get the chloroform out."

Demyx shook his head as another real smile came out. They just kept coming today didn't they? As he heard the door close, his mind reeled with everything that had happened today. Finally, the face of a blue eyed, slate haired boy came into his mind.

Zexion Noviello.

Demyx drifted off to sleep as dreams about the kind boy who showed him slight pity with a slight sense of uncaring.

* * *

><p><strong>[1] <strong>What do you think happened to make the couple get back together? My beta DreamingDaxern says "They had an argument and Axel forced the kiss and Roxy decided not to leave :)"_ What do you think happened?_

Sorry this chappy was so short! I just wanted to finish this before the school year was over cause I usually type out my stories on the computors in the library during study hall! Thank you to all those who have read this so far!

**Review for fun!**


	3. Chapter 3

The next day brought sunlight into the guest bedroom that Demyx had stayed in. A person peeked through the door and slowly opened it. Demyx heard the door squeak and opened one eye to see who it was. The lithe form tiptoed across the floor and to the window. The previous sunlight was then increased by a million rays when the form yanked the curtain open. Demyx quickly covered his eyes with the covers and winced at the slight soreness. Although his body was still in slight pain, his muscles were still sore from the previous day's beating. But, after this having happened quite frequently, the boy's body became accustomed to the pain and now had a high resistance.

"Axel, what are you doing?" Demyx mumbled into the sheets.

"Waking you up!" Axel said as he ripped the sheets off the dirty blond.

"For wh— School!" Demyx realized and jumped out of bed. His knees quickly gave out and he fell to his butt on the hard wooden ground. Axel roared with laughter and walked over to help his friend.

"There's no need to rush! I woke you up an hour and a half early so you could borrow some of Kairi's makeup. Roxas said he would meet us at school," Axel added. He watched the slight panic that ran across Demyx's blue eyes. He put a warm hand on his shoulder and quickly reassured him. "Don't worry. I told him not to tell anyone." Axel smacked Demyx's butt and finished with a, "Now hurry up and get dressed, Mr. Perfect."

Demyx frowned at the name and rubbed his stinging bum. Didn't he just confess that he had feelings for him last night? And now he had just flirted with him? Not that he minded. Demyx turned to see that there were clothes laid out for him on the dresser. Luckily, the clothes were ones that he had brought over a while ago just for these occasions. The dirty blond let a smile crawl across his lips when he saw the empty water bottle next to them.

Demyx walked over and put on his clothes. He quietly opened the door and headed into the bathroom to assess the damage to his face. He had a slight black eye and a slightly busted lip. There were a few scratches here and there and he knew they were easy to cover up. He took a quick shower and then went back to the sink. Demyx looked and saw that his toothbrush was laid on top of Kairi's makeup kit. He set to work on patching himself up and looking good.

This was not the first time Demyx had worn makeup. While trying to fit in with the 'in crowd', Demyx had to be one of them. That meant covering up any unforeseen blemishes and sometimes wearing guyliner. He also wore the skinny jeans and the tight shirt. His father had called him a fag the first time he had seen him, so Demyx now carried around a duffel bag of clothes to change into before coming home. Demyx shivered at the thought of going home but knew he had to.

When he was finished with the makeup, he headed downstairs to see what Axel was doing. He was now better at walking and knew the pain was bearable. The bandages that he had taken off before the shower were once again wound around his body. His bruises weren't as prominent and he was confident that no one would notice that something had happened to him yesterday. No one but Zexion, that is. Demyx quickly put that thought aside and continued his walk.

Demyx was surprised to see the whole family in the kitchen. Aerith was making some type of batter and measuring ingredients while everyone else sat at the table. Kairi was talking animatedly on the phone with someone while Axel and Reno were talking about Reno's patients from last night. Everyone stopped what they were doing when they heard Demyx clear his throat. Demyx felt no smile and knew that Aerith would realize it was fake if he had, so he kept his face serious.

"T-thank you. You guys really helped me out. I'm really sorry for being such a bother and if you guys don't want to deal with me that's fi—."

"Shut up, Demyx," Axel's voice raised up. His mother glared at her son for using such harsh words but saw a smile on his lips and let him continue. "You have nothing to be sorry for. You're my best friend. Friends help friends. I thought we already went over this?"

"Yeah, but—."

"No buts. Sit your butt down and eat. We have school in ten minutes." Axel said with a smile and turned back to his father to ask more questions about his job. Demyx couldn't help but be the tiniest bit happy and let his eyes shine a bit before sitting down in the chair next to Kairi.

"Feeling better, Dem? You had us pretty worried last night," Kairi said as she rubbed Demyx's back.

"Yes. I'm used to the pain and, trust me, I've had worse," Demyx said as a plate of pancakes was placed in front of him. His mouth watered and he eagerly ate the food.

"Woah, Demyx! You might want to slow down before you end up choking," Axel warned from across the table. Demyx nodded and slowed his intake down to a satisfying medium. When he finished his food, he got up and began to wash the dishes. He wasn't surprised when he felt the spatula hit his arm. He looked into the glaring eyes that belonged to Aerith and watched as she pointed to the chair.

"Sit."

Demyx walked down to his chair and ignored the giggles. He suddenly realized something and decided to ask Axel.

"I left my backpack at home. I had a library book due today."

"Well, do you want to go home and get it?" Axel inquired.

Demyx dropped his head and muttered, "No."

"Well… Just tell Yuffie that you left it at home! She's a pretty cool librarian so she'll understand." Demyx's head shot up and looked at Axel in disbelief.

"You know the librarian?" Demyx had never seen her before because she was always in the back. Although, he had heard some pretty crazy rumors that went around about her being so strict about her books that you would get put in detention if they were so much as a minute late.

"Yeah, I know a lot of people, Demyx. You'd be surprised. If only you had more classes with me."

Axel and Demyx only shared lunch together. They would usually meet up in the hall and before and after school but other than that, they never really saw each other. Demyx felt a pang of jealousy before Axel suddenly got up and ran upstairs. A few seconds later, he returned with two backpacks and another pair of shoes.

"Time to go," he said. Demyx nodded and accepted the items being handed to him. Kairi was a couple years younger than them so she was allowed to go into school later. The two boys said goodbye to the family and headed out down the road. They walked till Axel noticed the absence of his blue eyed friend. He turned around and saw that Demyx was looking downwards and had stopped in the middle of the road.

"Hurry up, Dem! We're gonna be late."

Demyx stopped looking at his feet and locked eyes with Axel's deep green ones—the very ones he has loved for so many years. Demyx felt his heart shatter when he saw the look of anticipation reflected in the eyes. The anticipation was all for Roxas and Demyx knew that he had to grow up and throw away his crush.

Demyx shook out his hair and looked away from the redhead. When their eyes met again, Demyx had not only changed his appearance slightly, but changed his whole personality. His eyes twinkled with a faux happiness. His hair held a shiny gloss that reflected the early-morning sun. Finally, his smile was perfect, and his fake show had been completed.

Demyx watched as Axel's smile faltered, but soon regained its momentum and came back full blast. Demyx waited for any reaction, but soon gave up when there were no signs. The school bells began to ring and Axel turned toward the school. He looked torn between meeting his boyfriend and making sure his best friend wasn't hurting.

"Don't worry, Ax. I'm fine. Go meet up with Roxas. I'll see you later, right?" Demyx flared the smile.

"Yeah, I guess." Axel started to walk away before he stopped and turned to Demyx one more time. "Are you _sure_ you're okay?"

"Yes, Axel!" Demyx yelled in his now- faux obnoxious voice. "What are you? My mother?" Axel laughed and shook his head before waving goodbye to his friend. Demyx sighed and headed onwards to brave the hallways of high school.

Demyx made his way down the hallway without a single mistake. Even if you had held him under a microscope, you wouldn't be able to tell that he had been beaten by his father and gone to the hospital the night before.

"Hey Demyx! Cheerful as always you ball of happy goo."

A voice followed by a slap on the back greeted Demyx when he entered the school cafeteria. He turned to face Larxene, the head cheerleader who sported the team uniform. Behind her stood Marluxia, whom was also a cheerleader.

Demyx smiled and lunged at Marluxia— one of the school's homophobes. He rung his arms around his neck and gave him a slobbery kiss on the cheek. Demyx immediately found himself on the ground. His ribs now bruised a tiny bit more, but the pain was a bit too much. He sat on the ground with his eyes closed and decided to cover up his pain.

"Oh Marly, You hurt me so. I shall lay here and die of a broken heart," Demyx said, covering his ribs.

"You know I hate you fags," Marluxia hissed as he stomped away. Larxene shrugged her shoulders and followed him.

"Well that was a genius move." A voice whispered in Demyx's ear as he felt an arm wrap around him and help him up.

"Yeah, I know, Axel," Demyx said as he brushed off the helping hands and headed towards their table. Axel soon caught up and walked beside him.

"Nice move back there, Demyx," Roxas said from his seat. Demyx gave him a questioning look before he caught the wink Roxas gave him. At least Roxas was all for hiding his secret. Demyx quickly smiled and laughed at Roxas's words.

"Well at least someone liked it," Demyx commented. He sat down and put his bag on the table, then pulled it close to him and leaned his aching head on it.

"Demyx, have you looked in your bag yet?" Axel asked as he sat down next to Roxas, who was seated comfortably across from the now dozing dirty blond.

"No, I haven't had to take any notes or anything yet. All we've been doing is watching movies in all my classes." Demyx stifled a yawn and gave the redhead a questioning look. "Why?"

"I think you should look." Axel obviously covered up a laugh by coughing into his hand. Roxas and Demyx shared a look of confusion at the redhead's words before Demyx slowly opened up the bag.

Demyx stared into the bag, his mouth dropping in surprise. He quickly zipped it back up and brought the bag into a tight-nit hug with his chest. A blush was on his face in an instant and the blond looked all around him, searching for someone. Axel roared with laughter at the sight before him and Roxas was just plain out of the loop.

"What do you have in the bag, Demyx?"

Demyx jumped nearly ten feet out of his seat, but the bag remained in his vice-like grip. He slowly turned around in his chair and saw that Riku stood behind him.

"N-nothing," Demyx lied.

Riku shrugged before taking a seat next to the blushing blond. Soon, Sora and Kairi joined the table along with Kairi's new friend Xion. Riku and Sora were another school couple. Last year they had been nominated for cutest couple but the school got pissed and said that it wasn't allowed.

"Seriously, Dem. What's wrong with you? You look like you've seen a ghost or something," Sora piped up, breaking the table's silence.

"I-It's nothing Sora. I… just realized I left my English paper at home and Mr. Saix is going to flipping kill me." Demyx covered up his embarrassment with a lie. He quickly shook his head and let his grip on the bag loosen a bit. The item that Axel had snuck in his bag was the water bottle that Zexion had given him the night before. Demyx sighed and looked into the redhead's eyes. They were filled with encouragement and he made a move with his hand for Demyx to get to work.

He had to return the water bottle and find out how much Zexion knew.

Demyx turned in his seat, startling everyone at the table, and scanned the lunch room. The slate haired boy was nowhere to be found. He thought back to his earlier classes and remembered that the boy had been paying attention in all of them and ignoring Demyx like any other day. Demyx then realized that he might be sitting outside. It was quite sunny outside and the trees were a perfect place to eat some food under.

Demyx got up and heard some calls of his name. He quickly turned around and told them he would be right back, before turning and running off to the outside doors. He barged through the objects and was greeted by instant sunlight. He blinked a bit before he got his sight back. He held up a hand to keep any other bright obscurities out of his face and looked over the area.

There he was.

The slate haired boy was sitting against the tree. Only one eye was visible, concentrating on the book that lay in his lap. A milk carton from the cafeteria sat next to him, half empty.

Demyx took a deep breath and began to walk towards the boy. When he was only a couple of feet away, Zexion finally noticed him. His eye slowly moved upwards till it matched Demyx's nervous gaze.

"Is there something you want?"

Demyx stopped in his tracks and nervously fumbled with his backpack. He growled in irritation when he couldn't get his trembling fingers around the zipper. Did Zexion know his true form? Would he hate him just like his father? All these thoughts swirled in his head as he put the backpack on the ground and kneeled next to it, still trying to get it open.

A hand lay itself on Demyx's shivering hand and he looked up into a blue eye filled with concern and confusion.

"Are you okay?" Zexion asked.

Demyx jumped when he realized he had let his façade drop. He hurriedly brought out a smile and calmed his nerves. An almost 180 from what he had been less than a minute ago.

"Yes, I'm fine."

Zexion shrugged then pointed at the bag. "What's in there?"

Demyx bent down and easily unzipped it. He took out the water bottle and zipped the bag back up. He then stood up and looked down on the shorter boy. A look of surprise came across the slate haired boy's features when he saw the water bottle. Demyx handed it to him. Zexion was too shocked to respond so the dirty blond placed bottle into his outstretched hand. He slowly bent down to whisper something in his ear before heading off in the other direction.

"Don't tell anyone, okay?"

Zexion stared at the retreating figure. A smile played across his lips and soon a bout of laughter followed. The boy intrigued him, and now this made him want to know more about this mysterious boy. He was obviously playing the life of a doll during school hours, but what was he at home? That vulnerableness he had shown when opening his bag? Zexion pursed his lips at the thought of his new-found prey.

Zexion headed inside when the bell rang. He nonchalantly threw the bottle in the trash can. He was expecting more in the future. He was going to unlock this boy's secrets, even if it meant he had to put on a façade as well.

* * *

><p>I'm sooo sorry this is so late! I have a nice plan for this story so hopefully the next chapter will be out soon! Ummm… idk what else to say except to follow me on tumblr! Same username and everything~<p>

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kingdom hearts or FF.

Thank you all for reading and reviewing and sticking with this! ^0^


	4. Chapter 4

"Are you sure you're ready to go home?"

"Yes, Axel. I'm sure."

"Really sure? What if he hurts you again?"

"He will… but it won't be as bad."

"So you say," Axel whispered.

The two boy's had reached the front of Demyx's apartment complex. Demyx never let Axel get any closer to the place in fear of his father's wrath. Axel looked around, hesitant to leave his best friend. He quickly hugged the boy and walked away— looking back every few steps to make sure the boy was unscathed.

Once Axel left his eyesight, Demyx let his smile fall and his true character come out. He solemnly made his way up the stairs and to the apartment. As he got closer and closer, he heard the sound of arguing get clearer and clearer. Once he reached the door, the fight was at its peak. The voices were practically screaming and Demyx pressed his ear to the door to get a better listen.

Evidentially, the door opened up just as he was about to make out the people's voices. The chest of a much larger man greeted Demyx's face and he quickly jumped away from it. A surprised Uncle Cloud looked down on him. There were tears in his eyes as he swooped the stunned boy into a hug before whispering in his ear.

"I promise I'll save you."

And then he was gone. Uncle Leon then came out and sent him a smile as he rustled his hair around. Demyx stood in confusion as he watched the two men walk down the stairs and get into a car, only to drive away.

"What are you looking at those fags for, Demyx?"

Demyx quickly turned around and came face to face with a pissed off, sober Luxord—the worst time to be around him. When Luxord was sober, he was able to think; therefore he could come up with smarter ways to hurt his son without people knowing.

"You wish you could go with them, don't you?"

Demyx backed away as the taller man got closer to him. He backed up all the way to the railing of the apartment building. Below him was a fifteen foot drop to the concrete below.

"N-no," Demyx whispered—his whole body now shivering in fear.

"No? Is that all you have to say? Those people are disgusting beings. You have no right to even look at them!"

Luxord raised his arms and began to barrage Demyx's stomach with his fists.

"I know where you went last night. That filthy red head's house. I know what you two were doing. I saw you two hug just now. Those disgusting people that we are no longer related to dared to show up and tell me I'm not a good parent. This. Is. All. Your. Fault."

The last punch sent Demyx sailing. Luxord's eyes widened at what had just happened. Demyx's body fell over the four foot railing and headed straight towards the ground. Luxord reached out to grab his son and just managed to grab his pants leg. He quickly heaved the half conscious boy over the edge and onto the floor once again. The almost fall had brought Luxord into a state of shock and he looked at his son lying on the ground. Luxord gently picked the boy off the floor and brought him in the house. He laid him on his bed and then quietly left.

Demyx watched his father leave, too stunned to even move let alone question his father's strange kindness. Demyx stared at the ceiling till he felt sleep overcome him.

**xXx**

"_Demyx, where are you?" A soothing voice called out into the white wonderland._

"_I'm right here, Mama!" Demyx called out. _

_Demyx was wearing a full body snow suit and was playing around in the snow that covered the lawn. At the age of five, Demyx didn't have many friends, only him and his parents. While his father was at work, his mother and he resorted to playing out in the freshly fallen snow. _

"_I need a head for this snowman," Demyx's mother called. _

"_Ok!" _

_Demyx set to making the snowman's head. A task that was easily accomplished and the snowman was soon finished. The mother picked up her son and then headed inside. A warm fire was awaiting them and the mother brewed some hot cocoa. The two cuddled up on the couch and watched the flames lap at the edge of the fireplace. _

_This was when Demyx's memory began to flicker. _

_A man covered in all black barging into the warm family moment. A flash of red. A scream. The man dropping the knife and running away. The sweet mother that had just been holding the little boy now lay still before his very eyes._

Demyx woke up screaming. He immediately looked around himself and wiped off his tearing eyes. He hadn't had that dream in a while. He looked to his clock and saw that he still had a couple hours till school. He lay back down and stared at the ceiling, waiting for sleep to beckon him once again. But alas, it did not. When he finally realized nothing was going to come of this and being alone might not be the best thing for his sanity, he figured he would get ready for school.

He cautiously ventured out into the hallway, looking every which way for his father. When he was finished searching, he realized his father was not in the house. He possibly hadn't come back since the accident. Demyx wasn't worried though, because it was a usual occurrence in the Lampron household. Luxord would disappear for sometimes weeks on end. Those were the happiest weeks for Demyx because he could go home without worry.

Demyx smiled to himself and began his morning routine. When he was all finished, he looked at the clock and saw that it was now four in the morning. He still had a whole four hours till school. It was pitch black out and Demyx knew that he had to tell Axel about the dream, so he figured he should head over to Axel's house. Of course this was also not a new thing to him.

Demyx grabbed his backpack and headed out. He walked down the poorly lit street as memories of the previous night played through his head— Zexion giving him his water bottle and Demyx's mistake of not cleaning himself up before leaving. When he got to the point where he could see the bus stop, his heart skipped a beat, for sitting at that very place was Zexion himself. As Demyx got closer, the slate haired man became clearer. He was reading a book much like before, but this time he looked up at Demyx.

"What are you doing out here so late?" Zexion asked the dirty blond once he was within earshot.

"I-I could say the same to you," Demyx responded as a light pink tint found its way on his cheeks. He walked over to the boy and sat down next to him. He took a deep breath and tried to summon his façade.

"If you must insist, I am out here because I lack a regular REM cycle most people have. And since the bus does not come till eight, I am stuck here for the next… what time is it?"

Demyx jumped a little as the boy turned his head to ask the question. The dark blue eyes burning into Demyx's own light blue ones. With the blush increasing, Demyx checked his watch.

"F-four thirty… Why didn't you just walk to school?"

This question solicited a slight chuckle from Zexion and said boy looked out across the street, a slight grin apparent on his face.

"I am, as you would call it, lazy."

"Really?" Demyx managed to say. He wanted to ask more. Wasn't Zexion the quiet one? Always doing his homework and getting straight A's? Yet he was… lazy?

"Yes, really. Now, would you like to answer my question?" Zexion's eyes once again turning towards Demyx; a piece of the darkest of blue hair moved to cover one of the pupils. Demyx caught his blush and looked away from the boy. He summoned up his power and flicked back his hair. He turned back to Zexion with a bright, perfected smile on his face.

"I was just going over to Axel's house to hangout."

"Wrong," Zexion answered immediately, his smile dropping and a frown placing itself on his mouth.

"W-what?" Demyx stuttered as he let his guard down and the façade drop.

"You're lying," Zexion said as he closed his book and leaned forward a bit so he could set his head on his hand with his elbow on his knee.

"N-no, I'm not."

"You stutter when you get nervous," Zexion stated.

"No, I don't."

"And now that you noticed it, you're going to make sure you don't do it anymore."

"What are you saying?" Demyx asked as he slowly stood up. Had this person seen through his façade so easily? How had he done it? Was he going to tell someone?

"I'm saying that—"

"No! Don't. Just stay away from me! Just… just…" And with that, Demyx turned around and ran. Zexion stood up and called for the boy but he just kept running.

Zexion watched in disbelief as his whole plan backfired. He had expected the boy to walk down that road. He had studied the boy with the fake personality's life quite thoroughly in a half a day of observation and research. But what he hadn't put into account was how much the boy relied and believed in his façade that he liked to use. He silently cursed to himself and figured the best way to apologize was to corner him. If he was cornered, he would either mentally freak out or he would go with the flow. Zexion knew exactly what he was going to do.

xXx

Axel didn't know what to do when Demyx suddenly appeared at his doorstep with his breathing heavy and his face downcast. When the boy looked up, Axel saw that there were tear marks down his face. He quickly pulled the boy in and began to look him over for bruising. He found Demyx's stomach was a bright purple, but the swelling was practically gone. He looked up to ask the dirty blond what had happened but saw a new set of tears were falling from his face.

"Dem, what happened?"

Demyx promptly broke down and was then held in Axel's arm. Axel pet the blond hair till his sobs subsided and he was calm enough to talk.

"You okay?" Axel asked. Demyx nodded in return. "You gonna tell me what happened?"

"Luxord left last night. He hasn't been back since then. He beat me yesterday but… something was different…" Demyx looked into Axel's eyes and said, "H-he saved my life."

"What do you mean 'He saved your life'?" Axel questioned as he rubbed the tears off of Demyx's face.

"I mean, I was falling… and then… he caught me and made sure I was safe. Then he just left."

"…But that still doesn't explain why you were crying."

Demyx's eyes widened and he then put his hands to his ears and shook his head a couple of times before whispering, "He knows my secret."

"Who knows your secret?" Axel asked as he lightly put his hand on the boy's chin to steady his head.

Demyx looked into Axel's eyes then told him, "Zexion."

Axel immediately stood up and then looked down on the boy before saying, "Are you sure?"

"He knows… I just saw him. What will he think of me, Axel? What does he know about me? Axel, he knew that I stuttered when I get nervous. I—"

"Hey, look at me." Demyx did just that and Axel bent down to get a better view. "I'm gonna make a couple of phone calls, okay? I promise, he isn't and won't think badly of you for putting on a façade. Hey, he might even know _why_ you put it on in the first place."

"You think?" Demyx asked, a smile beginning to form on his face.

"Yeah, I know. I'll be back, Okay? It is only five in the morning. Go watch TV or something."

"Alright!" Demyx said as he got up and headed to the living room.

Axel watched the boy go before his eyes glinted and he reached into his back pocket for his cell phone. He flipped it on and held a single number before the phone began to ring. Two rings and it was answered.

"Hey, Riku. I have a job for you to do."

xXx

* * *

><p>Hey guys! Long time, no talk! LOL Ah i know I haven't updated anything in a while, but don't worry! I'm starting to get my mojo back! Not only that, I gots me a laptop! So now I can upload my stories from home once again! Unfortunately, that does not mean that I have a single clue as to what is going to happen next in this story... Right now, I know about as much as you guys! XP<p>

But don't worry, I just have to write an outline on it and it will be finished sometime! Expect another chapter within the next month hopefully, my dear reviewers! Thank you all for your love and support and I shall meet you all next chapter! :D


	5. Chapter 5

The hallways were empty due to the premature sunrise aside from one or two spare students that trickled in thanks to an early alarm clock. Zexion was one of the few in the building and he was now leaning his head against the cool metal of his locker. He was trying to think of a way to fix the problem he had created. How could he have been so stupid as to directly confront Demyx like that?

Suddenly, Zexion's shoulders were grabbed and he was promptly turned around and slammed into the lockers. He was then greeted by the eyes of the school's notorious 'Ender.' Riku Sanchez— whose light blue eyes bore a hole into whomever he chose as his prey. If he ever confronted you, you were considered done for, hence the name, 'Ender.'

"What the hell do you want with Demyx?" Riku's cool voice asked. Zexion quirked an eyebrow before quickly understanding what was going on.

"Axel called you, didn't he?" Zexion chuckled. He received another slam against the lockers for his snide comment.

"And what of it? Answer the question, Zexion Noviello," Riku ordered.

"Fine, fine. I'll tell you. It's as simple as this: I want him," Zexion assured Riku as he narrowed his eyes and hardened his gaze at the silver haired menace.

Riku leaned in and asked, "What do you mean, you want him?"

"I mean, I wish to claim him."

"Claim him, huh?"

"Yes, now if you would be so kind as to let go of my shoulders. I would like to get to class," Zexion said as he lifted off one of Riku's hands and flicked it away. Riku watched as the slate haired school genius walked off toward his class.

Riku sighed then fished out his phone from his pocket. He called back the last dialed number and waited for an answer.

"What'd you get, Riku?" Axel's voice filled the phone's speaker.

"He wants him," Riku reiterated as he headed out of the building and to a wall that surrounded the school grounds.

"What?"

Riku fished a pack of cigarettes from his other pocket and took one out gently with his teeth. He held the cancer stick in his mouth as he answered. "Your boy has a stalker. And this stalker will not give up unless you kill him. Personally, I don't think he means any harm—"

"Means any harm! Are you fucking kidding me! Demyx came to me crying hysterically this morning and you say he means no harm!" Axel yelled.

"Have you asked Demyx's opinion of him?"

"…No."

"His eyes… they were genuine when he said he wanted him," Riku sighed before taking the unlit fag out of his mouth and crunching it on the floor.

"…Are you sure?" Axel questioned.

"From one gay to another, I am very sure."

Axel sighed on the other end before saying, "Just… watch over him for, all right? I know you have plenty of other jobs and you're just doing this for me because our boyfriends are brothers, but… he's my best friend. I don't want him hurt any more than he already is."

"I understand. See you at school," Riku said as he hung up the phone and pushed himself off the wall.

* * *

><p>xXx<p>

"Come on, Dem. You have to go to school."

The door to the bathroom remained locked no matter what Axel said. About a half an hour before the boys were supposed to leave for school, Demyx decided to lock himself in the bathroom. There, he had discovered the tired look on his face and knew it was going to be one hell of a task to cover it up. And after trying a million different ways and going through hundreds of cover up products, it still showed.

Demyx was hysterical. "No! Axel, everyone is going to see and know something happened and they're all going to ask questions and I can't tell them the truth!"

"Just lie to them. You do it all the time already." Axel winced and immediately regretted what he said but it was too late to take it back, the words had already been said. There was a moment of silence before Axel heard the lock click and the dirty blond slowly inched his way out of the bathroom.

"That was a low blow, even for you, Ax." Demyx said as he fixed his hair absentmindedly.

"Yeah, sorry about that. Didn't mean for it to sound so harsh," Axel replied with a half smirk as he rubbed the back of his neck. He then felt the need to check the vintage watch on his left wrist before yelling, "We're going to be late!" Axel awkwardly leapt around Demyx and ran down the stairs. Demyx laughed before following the boy in his haste.

The two made it to school with enough time to spare. They each went to their respective classes without a word to each other. A silent agreement between the two. Demyx headed to his locker and took out the books that were needed for his classes. When he was about to close his locker, he got the eerie feeling that someone was watching him. He turned around quickly, but saw no one. He decided he would ignore the feeling. He closed his locker and headed off to his classes.

Demyx noticed that the feeling of someone staring at him would not go away. Especially in the classes he had with Zexion. He would notice the boy glancing at him and would look back at the boy—daring him to look him straight in the eye. But each time, Zexion would turn his head in the opposite direction or pretend the boy wasn't even there. By lunch time, Demyx was exhausted. Trying to catch a culprit in the act was a very hard thing to accomplish.

Axel watched his best friend walk into the lunch room looking absolutely haggard. It looked as if he had been run over by a train, but alas, this was how he normally looked when he wasn't putting up his fake appearance and he had to give the boy credit. Lying all the time had to be a hard thing to keep up. Axel decided he was going to go and help the poor blond boy when he saw someone already heading towards him.

Zexion Noviello had also seen the boy's unmistakably tired performance and was going to intervene. Axel decided it was best for him to sit back and watch how Zexion acted to see if what Riku had told him was the truth. Axel leaned back against the wall of the cafeteria and watched carefully as Zexion snuck up behind poor Demyx.

"You look a little tired, Demyx," Zexion whispered in the dirty blond boy's ear. The boy in question jumped into the air and whipped his head around. His tired eyes blazed with anger and he took a moment to quickly look away and compose himself once more before yelling at the devious slate haired menace.

"What do you want? Haven't you had enough? You already know my secret so why don't you just leave me alone?" Demyx asked as he tiredly ran a hand through his hair. He continued to walk outside into the blistering heat and also quietness of the outdoors; away from other people's ears.

"Oh I can't do that, Demyx," Zexion stated as he smoothly walked to the wall of the school. He leaned against the hardened cement and placed a hand above his eyes as he stared up at the sky.

"And why not? Is there something you want? Are you going to use this as blackmail material?" Demyx asked. He didn't like being hostile to the boy he liked but right now his worrying was getting the best of him. If this kept wearing down on him, he would soon crack.

"No, not blackmail. Well not the kind you're thinking of." Zexion chuckled and looked away from the sun. He put his hands in his pockets and gave Demyx a sidelong look. "How would you like it if I was able to fix your whole life?"

"What?" Demyx asked in disbelief.

"How would you feel if you never had to hide yourself in public again? In a sense—throw away your fake appearance," Zexion said as he waved his hand around absently.

Demyx stared at the genius, his mouth hung open in disbelief. He quickly corrected himself and decided to take the bull by the horns. "My dad's gone. Left. I don't know where he is, or for how long. And I don't really care. So there is no need for me to hide from anyone anymore."

"And just where do you think you're dad has run off too? Not down the street to buy some more alcohol. Oh, no, my dear Demyx. I simply helped you out a bit." Zexion smirked and came to stand right in front of the dirty blond.

Anger now raged inside Demyx. "What did you do to my father!"

"Nothing. I just have him locked up some place where he can do no harm to you." At this time, Zexion took out a pair of keys and jangled them in front of Demyx's azure eyes.

"Why?" Was all Demyx could force out as he tried to keep himself standing.

"To protect you, of course." Zexion reached up and grabbed hold of Demyx's chin. He forced the orbs that now contained miniscule tears to look into his own dark blue eye. "I want you to be my boyfriend."

* * *

><p>Disclaimer:Do not own Kingdom Hearts<p>

Hello everyone! I am finally graduating high school! Wooo! Means writing time summer! My goal is to finish this story. I feel it still has a ways to go but yup!  
>Also, I'm pretty sure all of you have heard of Fifty shades of sex(LOL) anyway, i kinda think that its cool how she was a fanfic writer like us (granted she is definitely NOT the best) but that's slightly inspirational!<p>

How many of you would like to see this here story turned into a book? Would you pick it up at Barnes and Noble or illegally download it for me? lol

I apologize for the mistakes and thank you for supporting me! :D


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